exacerbated

verb

past tense of exacerbate
as in aggravated
to make more severe a misconceived plan that only exacerbated the city's traffic problem

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exacerbated The British Antarctic Survey researchers emphasize that future losses could be exacerbated if emissions are not reduced. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026 The Santa Ana winds and hot temperatures have exacerbated fire danger in Southern California and forecasters say gusts will likely strengthen. — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 That reality doesn't change here and, in fact, it's exacerbated by Dell's use of the same laptop chassis. — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026 Higher interest rates exacerbated by the flood of federal debt issuance are starting to bite in some parts of the economy and threaten to worsen the government's debt problem. — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026 During the mid-2000s, some tribal members, enticed by a chance at life-changing money, got involved in moving people and drugs, fueling cycles of arrest and incarceration that exacerbated challenges the community was already facing. — Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2026 But its removal raised fuel prices sharply, pressure that was exacerbated by the Iran war curtailing energy supplies. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Yet, over time these credentials became stand-ins for proving identity and online verification has exacerbated the problem. — Caryn Seidman Becker, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 Fast-forward to the pandemic, and that exacerbated our lack of community. — Margaret Wappler, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacerbated
  1. aggravated
  2. deepened
  3. worsened
  4. intensified
  5. complicated
Verb
  • Massie had aggravated Trump by pushing for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files and opposing the Iran war, and the president responded by successfully backing Gallrein in the party’s primary.
    — Michelle S. Price, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Massie had aggravated Trump by pushing for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files and opposing the Iran war, and the president responded by successfully backing Gallrein in the party's primary.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of aggravated
Verb
  • People reported that tensions between the brothers deepened after Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020.
    — Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Abiy’s persistent calls for sovereign access to Eritrea’s Red Sea port of Assab have alarmed Eritrea and deepened the rift.
    — KHALED KAZZIHA, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of deepened
Verb
  • Insecurity, which has worsened around the country, is also set to figure as a major point of contention.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Mike McDaniel’s implementation of his wide-zone offense hasn’t gone well, and the situation has worsened as injuries along the offensive line have piled up.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of worsened
Verb
  • The whispers about their similarities intensified on the announcement of the engagement of Crown Prince Hussein, son of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, to Rajwa in August 2022.
    — Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The deaths came as Indonesia intensified efforts to combat forest and land fires that have worsened this year as El Niño intensifies a prolonged dry season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of intensified
Verb
  • Human biology is complicated, which is why most substances that show promise in early experiments fail in clinical trials.
    — Amy Maxmen, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Search data suggests the answer is complicated enough to send thousands of people to Google every year.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of complicated

Browse Nearby Words

exacerbate
exacerbated
exacerbates
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Cite this Entry

“Exacerbated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacerbated. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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